Composition for preventing the occurrence of cardiovascular event in multiple risk patient

Abstract

Disclosed is a composition which is useful for preventing the occurrence of a cardiovascular event, particularly a composition which is expected to show a prophylactic effect on a cardiovascular event occurring in a hypercholesterolemia patient despite providing the patient with a treatment with HMG-CoA RI or a cardiovascular event occurring in a multiple risk patient.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of reducing occurrence of a cardiovascular event in a hypercholesterolemia patient comprising,
 identifying a patient having triglycerides (TG) of at least 150 mg/DL, and HDL-C of less than 40 mg/dL in a blood sample taken from the patient as the only risk factor of a cardiovascular event, wherein the patient has not previously had a cardiovascular event, and administering ethyl icosapentate in combination with a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor; 
 wherein the rate of suppression of the cardiovascular event occurrence in the said administered patient group is equal to or more than 48% compared to the control patient group after 2 years or more from the start of said administration; and 
 wherein the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of pravastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, pitavastatin, rosuvastatin, and salts thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of the ethyl icosapentate is at least 96.5% by weight in relation to the total content of fatty acid that is simultaneously administered with the ethyl icosapentate. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethyl icosapentate is orally administered at a dose of 1.8 g/day to 2.7 g/day. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hypercholesterolemia patient is a male patient. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises administering the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor to the patient at least one of before, during and after administering the ethyl icosapentate. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethyl icosapentate is administered daily for two years or more. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cardiovascular event is a fatal cardiovascular event. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hypercholesterolemia patient has a serum [triglyceride (TG)/HDL-C] ratio of at least 3.75. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 ,wherein the ethyl icosapentate is orally administered at a dose of 0.3 g/day to 6 g/day.